Teeeitoet



(No Model.)

T, M. MoDOUGALL.

Horse Litter.

Nb. 239, 19. Pa t ented April 5,1881.

ATTORNEYS.

M PETERS. PHOTD-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNrrEo ESTATES PATENT OFFICEo THOMAS M. MGDOUGALL, OF FORT YATES, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

HORSE-LITTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,819, dated April 5, 1881. Application filed August 27, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, THOMAS MLMODOUGALL, of Fort Yates, in the county of Boreman and Territory of Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Litter for MilitaryPurpos'es, of which the following is a specification.

The object of myinvention is to provide a new and .improved travois or horse-litter, especially designed for military purposes for the transportation of the sick and wounded.

The novelty consists in pivoting the forward ends of the bed-frame to the long shafts, between which the draftanimal is attached, and in providing hinged and adjustable legs or supports for the rear end of said frame, whereby it may be supported at different elevations; also, in providing an elastic or yielding socket for such supports, whereby the patient is greatly relieved from the severe jars incident to traveling over rough ground, allas hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, a perspective view of my improved travois is shown in Figure 1. Figs. 2 and 3 represent details.

The travois is formed of two poles or shafts, A A, providedwith suitable braces, B B, and having their rear ends supported by low broad wheels or rollers O.

The bed or litter proper consists of a frame formed of two poles or bars, L, pivoted to the poles A at a, and supported at its rear end by two-uprights, E E, whose lower ends rest in sockets in the polesA A and on rubber cushions b, as shown in Fig. 3, or other springs, so as to ease the patient. In some cases I may provide the bars E with perforations, as shown .in Fig. 2, and make them adjustable. The

litter is provided with a pivoted and adjustable folding top, F, of leather, canvas, or other suitable material, and contains a water-proof sheet, G, which may be attached to the carriage-top and to the rear end of the litter, so from the sun or rain. for holding patients, are attached as to protect the patient Straps c,

to the frame L. A piece of canvas or other suitable material is attached to the bed-frame L, to form the bed for the patient. A horseis harnessed to the travois between the shaftsA in the ordinary manner, and the supports E and the carriage-top F are folded down upon the poles A A, and the improved travois-litter is now ready for the march.

As soon as the travois-litter is required in service the bed-frame L and the folding top F are raised, as shown. The patientis secured on the bed-frame by the straps c. The driver may either mount the horse or walk at the side of the same, according to the condition of the patient or the country thatis being traversed; but in all cases one man is sufficient to take care of each litter. The spring-cushions Z may also be arranged at the upper end of the uprights Theshaft-poles A A are attached preferably to the harness of the horse by means of springstraps d d, so as to ease the patient as much as possible and avoid his sufl'ering by the jars and shocks the travois may receive.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Paten t, is-

1. A one-horse travois or litter having a bed-frame which is pivoted at its front end to the middle portions of the poles or shafts, to which the draft-animal is attached, and supported at its rear end by legs which are hinged to adapt them to fold, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the shafts A A and bed-frame B B, pivoted thereto, of legs or supports E E for the latter, and elastic blocks on which said legs rest, as shown forthe purpose specified.

THOMAS MOWER MODOUGALL.

Witnesses:

JAMES BRENNAN, Trros. A. CUNINGH'AM.

and described, 

